
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily quarantine not doing so, is the apex of understatement.

"We're still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."

Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply here.

"The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation," Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the facts to determine exactly what we could do."

The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline.

"At the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual," Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."

The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588110612985.jpeg" alt="" />
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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily quarantine not doing so, is the apex of understatement."We're still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply here."The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation," Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the facts to determine exactly what we could do."The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline."At the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual," Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

Known vector results in multiple infections, could affect opening timeline

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department announced that the case count as of Tuesday night is at thirty-four positive cases of COVID-19.

• First new positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with known source of exposure.

• Second positive case is a female in her 30’s with a known source of exposure.

• Third positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with known source of exposure.

• Fourth positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with a known source of exposure.

• Fifth positive case is a female in her 60’s with an unknown source of exposure.

• Sixth positive case is a female in her 50’s with a suspected source of exposure.

• Seventh positive case is a male under the age of eighteen with a suspected source of exposure.

All seven are in home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway.

Eight previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have completed recovery and are nonsymptomatic per disease investigation guidelines from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Our Health Department has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). We encourage residents to self-report their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in tracking case contact and spread within the county. 

This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.

Remember the State of Kansas is under a Statewide Stay Home Order. This means all citizens are directed to stay in their homes unless performing an essential activity as described in Executive Order No. 20-16 signed by the Governor of Kansas.

We continue to highly encourage Reno County residents to be dependent on health authorities to provide the most accurate information on COVID-19.

Please practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, limit handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588110612985.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department announced that the case count as of Tuesday night is at thirty-four positive cases of COVID-19.• First new positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with known source of exposure.• Second positive case is a female in her 30’s with a known source of exposure.• Third positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with known source of exposure.• Fourth positive case is a female under the age of eighteen with a known source of exposure.• Fifth positive case is a female in her 60’s with an unknown source of exposure.• Sixth positive case is a female in her 50’s with a suspected source of exposure.• Seventh positive case is a male under the age of eighteen with a suspected source of exposure.All seven are in home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway.Eight previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have completed recovery and are nonsymptomatic per disease investigation guidelines from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.Our Health Department has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). We encourage residents to self-report their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in tracking case contact and spread within the county. This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.Remember the State of Kansas is under a Statewide Stay Home Order. This means all citizens are directed to stay in their homes unless performing an essential activity as described in Executive Order No. 20-16 signed by the Governor of Kansas.We continue to highly encourage Reno County residents to be dependent on health authorities to provide the most accurate information on COVID-19.Please practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, limit handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

Seven more test positive for COVID-19, case count 34, eight recovered in Reno Co.

TOPEKA, KAN. —Kansas State University has launched coronavirus testing for students, faculty and staff as confirmed cases in Kansas rose Tuesday by 4.9% to nearly 3,500.

Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and frequent critic of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, unveiled a proposal for reopening the state's economy, though such decisions rest with Kelly.

Kansas State said it can test up to 270 people a day and is providing testing for students, faculty or staff who show coronavirus symptoms or who have been in contact with an infected person

The university in Manhattan is relying on a laboratory used for veterinary medical testing and the Biosecurity Research Institute set up to deal with foreign animal diseases.

For most people, the novel coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two or three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Kansas reported four additional COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday to bring the total to 124. The state had 3,491 confirmed cases, up 163 from Monday.

The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.

Wagle, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, called for reopening most Kansas businesses at half capacity. Kelly has said she will outline her plan Thursday.

Kelly issued a stay-at-home order that took effect March 30 and expires at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Wagle said stay-at-home restrictions should be retained on assisted living facilities and nursing homes, where COVID-19 outbreaks can be more lethal. She also said Kelly should permit state executive orders to expire so that county health officials can take the lead.

Wagle said that original projections of COVID-19 cases and deaths had been significantly reduced, with health officials now saying there are enough hospital and ICU beds to adequately treat those who become infected.

Public health officials say the cases and deaths have been fewer because of strong social distancing practices.

Kelly said last week that her goal is to start reopening the Kansas economy Sunday but she may not be able to do it because the state was “nowhere near” having the supplies needed for adequate coronavirus testing. The governor has said she is meeting with officials from various industries and plans to release her reopening strategy Thursday.

Before the coronavirus outbreak started, the University of Kansas Health System’s Poison Control Center averaged two calls a day. But it has been averaging three or four a day in March and April, for a 40% increase over the same time period a year ago.

Most calls are from people not following instructions when mixing and using cleaning supplies. Other calls concern children getting into cleaning supplies as they are home from school and daycare.

Dr. Steve Thornton, the center’s director, said uptick in calls is “predictable” and added that the risk going forward is people trying unproven remedies.

TOPEKA, KAN. —Kansas State University has launched coronavirus testing for students, faculty and staff as confirmed cases in Kansas rose Tuesday by 4.9% to nearly 3,500.Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and frequent critic of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, unveiled a proposal for reopening the state's economy, though such decisions rest with Kelly.UNIVERSITY'S TESTINGKansas State said it can test up to 270 people a day and is providing testing for students, faculty or staff who show coronavirus symptoms or who have been in contact with an infected personThe university in Manhattan is relying on a laboratory used for veterinary medical testing and the Biosecurity Research Institute set up to deal with foreign animal diseases.For most people, the novel coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two or three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.NEW NUMBERSKansas reported four additional COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday to bring the total to 124. The state had 3,491 confirmed cases, up 163 from Monday.The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.REOPENING THE ECONOMYWagle, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, called for reopening most Kansas businesses at half capacity. Kelly has said she will outline her plan Thursday.Kelly issued a stay-at-home order that took effect March 30 and expires at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.Wagle said stay-at-home restrictions should be retained on assisted living facilities and nursing homes, where COVID-19 outbreaks can be more lethal. She also said Kelly should permit state executive orders to expire so that county health officials can take the lead.Wagle said that original projections of COVID-19 cases and deaths had been significantly reduced, with health officials now saying there are enough hospital and ICU beds to adequately treat those who become infected.Public health officials say the cases and deaths have been fewer because of strong social distancing practices.Kelly said last week that her goal is to start reopening the Kansas economy Sunday but she may not be able to do it because the state was “nowhere near” having the supplies needed for adequate coronavirus testing. The governor has said she is meeting with officials from various industries and plans to release her reopening strategy Thursday.FEARS OF SELF-POISONINGBefore the coronavirus outbreak started, the University of Kansas Health System’s Poison Control Center averaged two calls a day. But it has been averaging three or four a day in March and April, for a 40% increase over the same time period a year ago.Most calls are from people not following instructions when mixing and using cleaning supplies. Other calls concern children getting into cleaning supplies as they are home from school and daycare.Dr. Steve Thornton, the center’s director, said uptick in calls is “predictable” and added that the risk going forward is people trying unproven remedies.

KSU offers virus tests; Senate Pres. unveils reopening plan

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department was advised on Monday that a mass mobile testing site will be set up in Hutchinson in the near future. Nick Baldetti with the Health Department says all of the details aren’t available at this time.

“There’s going to be six to eight specific locations where these mobile (test) trailers will go,” Baldetti said. 

Baldetti says the county was notified of the testing, but that the details have been a little erratic coming from the state. And while it's called the Walmart test, it is not going to be held at Walmart. The city was chosen as one of the sites because of the fairgrounds.

“One of the prerequisites is that they want the testing due to liability reason that it takes place on state grounds,” Baldetti said.

Residents who want a test will have to go through an appointment process to get one.

“There’s apparently going to be an online self-signup website,” Baldetti said. “You sign up and then you set an appointment, show up for that appointment through the drive-thru . . . you walk through this trailer, collect the specimen and then you’re done.” 

Baldetti wanted to stress that getting tested doesn’t mean that a person can relax their social distancing practices or other precautions and a negative test doesn’t mean you can’t still catch the virus.

No date was given by the state for when the tests will be available or when the signup period will start.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584891656782.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department was advised on Monday that a mass mobile testing site will be set up in Hutchinson in the near future. Nick Baldetti with the Health Department says all of the details aren’t available at this time.“There’s going to be six to eight specific locations where these mobile (test) trailers will go,” Baldetti said. Baldetti says the county was notified of the testing, but that the details have been a little erratic coming from the state. And while it's called the Walmart test, it is not going to be held at Walmart. The city was chosen as one of the sites because of the fairgrounds.“One of the prerequisites is that they want the testing due to liability reason that it takes place on state grounds,” Baldetti said.Residents who want a test will have to go through an appointment process to get one.“There’s apparently going to be an online self-signup website,” Baldetti said. “You sign up and then you set an appointment, show up for that appointment through the drive-thru . . . you walk through this trailer, collect the specimen and then you’re done.” Baldetti wanted to stress that getting tested doesn’t mean that a person can relax their social distancing practices or other precautions and a negative test doesn’t mean you can’t still catch the virus.No date was given by the state for when the tests will be available or when the signup period will start.&nbsp;

Mobile testing site coming to Hutchinson

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — No specifics were given, but the Reno County Commission took more than an hour to discuss the possible reopening of the business sector and some of the guidelines that will likely be in place should the governor lift the stay-at-home ordinance next week. 

Health Department Director Nick Baldetti went over the steps for getting the county back on its feet, but the finer details were not released with the first draft. Baldetti said that counties are taking different approaches when it comes to kick-starting the business sector. He noted that it was his choice not to target any specific business.

“I didn’t want to specifically call out certain industries,” Baldetti said. “We formed this steering committee very specifically for the expertise of the industry to come together under the oversight of public health that we can work for the best-laid plans to try and not restrict if we’re given the opportunity under the statewide governance.”

Commissioner Bob Bush noted that some businesses must strongly adhere to certain guidelines, especially when it comes to serving customers and proper hygiene.

“One of the comments we’ve had at many of the meetings is that it takes a while to change a culture,” Bush said. “We need to change that piece of the culture right now. And we need to give managers something to lean on.”

Bush said that all customer service businesses, especially restaurants, need to strictly adhere to such guidelines.

Any relaxing of the stay-at-home order will still require a lot of restrictions, such as social distancing and small groups in restaurants and other businesses. Commission Chair Ron Sellers also wanted to make sure that there was language in the document that would give the Health Department some leverage to deal with those few who simply do not want to follow the new guidelines.

“It just seems like to me from my standpoint the majority will do the right thing,” Sellers said. “But I don’t think as a county we should sit idly by and let some, quote, 'idiot' be irresponsible.”

Baldetti noted that the document gives him the authority to deal with anyone or any group that cannot follow the new guidelines or where the risk is unacceptable based on the ability of the county to provide care for the community. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575487428540.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — No specifics were given, but the Reno County Commission took more than an hour to discuss the possible reopening of the business sector and some of the guidelines that will likely be in place should the governor lift the stay-at-home ordinance next week. Health Department Director Nick Baldetti went over the steps for getting the county back on its feet, but the finer details were not released with the first draft. Baldetti said that counties are taking different approaches when it comes to kick-starting the business sector. He noted that it was his choice not to target any specific business.“I didn’t want to specifically call out certain industries,” Baldetti said. “We formed this steering committee very specifically for the expertise of the industry to come together under the oversight of public health that we can work for the best-laid plans to try and not restrict if we’re given the opportunity under the statewide governance.”Commissioner Bob Bush noted that some businesses must strongly adhere to certain guidelines, especially when it comes to serving customers and proper hygiene.“One of the comments we’ve had at many of the meetings is that it takes a while to change a culture,” Bush said. “We need to change that piece of the culture right now. And we need to give managers something to lean on.”Bush said that all customer service businesses, especially restaurants, need to strictly adhere to such guidelines.Any relaxing of the stay-at-home order will still require a lot of restrictions, such as social distancing and small groups in restaurants and other businesses. Commission Chair Ron Sellers also wanted to make sure that there was language in the document that would give the Health Department some leverage to deal with those few who simply do not want to follow the new guidelines.“It just seems like to me from my standpoint the majority will do the right thing,” Sellers said. “But I don’t think as a county we should sit idly by and let some, quote, 'idiot' be irresponsible.”Baldetti noted that the document gives him the authority to deal with anyone or any group that cannot follow the new guidelines or where the risk is unacceptable based on the ability of the county to provide care for the community.

Commission gets first look at guidelines to reopen county

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the U.S. to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments “that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.”

The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department’s efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed.

“If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court.”

Barr’s memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93201a33ee3f73017f02d273f868bfba">filed a statement of interest</a>&nbsp;in a civil case in Mississippi, siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.

The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their economies are moving to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the coronavirus, even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous.

At the same time, protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders, and in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has urged supporters to “liberate” three states led by Democratic governors.

Trump was asked at Monday’s coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department.

“Well, you’d have to ask Attorney General Barr, but I think he wants to see — like everybody, he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want people to be held up when there’s no reason for doing it. In some cases, perhaps it’s too strict. He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights, very importantly.”

The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service, as designated by the state of Mississippi, that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.

In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week, Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside.

“The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest,” Barr said. “I’m not saying it wasn’t justified. I’m not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it’s very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood.”

Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long. He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen.

“I think we have to allow people to figure out ways of getting back to work and keep their workers and customers safe,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. “I’m not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight. There may come a time where we have to worry less about that.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585143176510.png" alt="Attorney General William Barr during a Coronavirus Task Force Briefing earlier this month -image courtesy White H ouse" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General William Barr during a Coronavirus Task Force Briefing earlier this month -image courtesy White H ouse</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the U.S. to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments “that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.”The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department’s efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed.“If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court.”Barr’s memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93201a33ee3f73017f02d273f868bfba">filed a statement of interest</a>&nbsp;in a civil case in Mississippi, siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their economies are moving to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the coronavirus, even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous.At the same time, protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders, and in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has urged supporters to “liberate” three states led by Democratic governors.Trump was asked at Monday’s coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department.“Well, you’d have to ask Attorney General Barr, but I think he wants to see — like everybody, he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want people to be held up when there’s no reason for doing it. In some cases, perhaps it’s too strict. He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights, very importantly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587679047074.png" alt="Protesters mounted a slow-moving caravan around the Statehouse April 23 to push for an end to Gov. Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order." />
 <figcaption>Protesters mounted a slow-moving caravan around the Statehouse April 23 to push for an end to Gov. Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service, as designated by the state of Mississippi, that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week, Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside.“The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest,” Barr said. “I’m not saying it wasn’t justified. I’m not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it’s very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood.”Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long. He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen.“I think we have to allow people to figure out ways of getting back to work and keep their workers and customers safe,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. “I’m not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight. There may come a time where we have to worry less about that.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

AG to prosecutors: Look for unconstitutional virus rules

Reno County Health Department director Nick Baldetti clarified Tuesday that the county has ordered quarantine on a handful of occasions during the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We have administered a few formal quarantine orders," Baldetti said. "Both in those circumstances and generally speaking, we've had fair compliance across the board for those individuals both on a voluntary basis and for those circumstances where we've administered a quarantine order."

"Two of them were actually simply requested as a measure of paperwork, so that they could essentially prove to whichever stakeholders that they weren't lying, I suppose," Baldetti said.

There have been three official orders thus far.

"All 27 positives have been asked to self-quarantine, in addition to anyone throughout the duration that has been a high-risk circumstance or a probable," Baldetti said. "It's far more than the 27 simply off of the positive cases."

A Barton County man was actually <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/5ea6ffc6eb7f170536038a16">arrested last week</a> for not following a quarantine order in that county.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588032074187.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Reno County Health Department director Nick Baldetti clarified Tuesday that the county has ordered quarantine on a handful of occasions during the COVID-19 outbreak."We have administered a few formal quarantine orders," Baldetti said. "Both in those circumstances and generally speaking, we've had fair compliance across the board for those individuals both on a voluntary basis and for those circumstances where we've administered a quarantine order."Some of them were a formality."Two of them were actually simply requested as a measure of paperwork, so that they could essentially prove to whichever stakeholders that they weren't lying, I suppose," Baldetti said.There have been three official orders thus far."All 27 positives have been asked to self-quarantine, in addition to anyone throughout the duration that has been a high-risk circumstance or a probable," Baldetti said. "It's far more than the 27 simply off of the positive cases."A Barton County man was actually <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/5ea6ffc6eb7f170536038a16">arrested last week</a> for not following a quarantine order in that county.

Reno County has only filed quarantine paperwork three times as of Tuesday

BUHLER, Kan. — Like all other government entities, the city of Buhler is also looking to trim some of the budget for the rest of the fiscal year. The City Council will hear a presentation from City Clerk Merrill Peterson about proposed cuts during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Peterson says he expects to see a drop in sales tax revenue and other sources of income over the next six to nine months. A drop in revenue of 20% is not out of the question and such a drop would mean about $53,000 from the budget. While that number doesn’t sound large, it is when you are dealing with a budget of only $1.6 million.

Peterson says he is confident they can find the money either by deferring a street project, which would just about cover the entire potential shortfall, or by making some cuts elsewhere. He said for right now he is not looking at any furloughs of staff.&nbsp;

Peterson says it really is too early to tell how much financial impact the economic downturn will have, noting that a community as small as Buhler faces things differently than a larger city like Hutchinson.

Also Tuesday, the council will consider fees for the swimming pool and take action on a request from IdeaTek to erect an antenna on top of the city water tower.

Tuesday’s meeting of the Buhler City Council beings at 7 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574802845214.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BUHLER, Kan. — Like all other government entities, the city of Buhler is also looking to trim some of the budget for the rest of the fiscal year. The City Council will hear a presentation from City Clerk Merrill Peterson about proposed cuts during Tuesday’s regular meeting.Peterson says he expects to see a drop in sales tax revenue and other sources of income over the next six to nine months. A drop in revenue of 20% is not out of the question and such a drop would mean about $53,000 from the budget. While that number doesn’t sound large, it is when you are dealing with a budget of only $1.6 million.Peterson says he is confident they can find the money either by deferring a street project, which would just about cover the entire potential shortfall, or by making some cuts elsewhere. He said for right now he is not looking at any furloughs of staff.&nbsp;Peterson says it really is too early to tell how much financial impact the economic downturn will have, noting that a community as small as Buhler faces things differently than a larger city like Hutchinson.Also Tuesday, the council will consider fees for the swimming pool and take action on a request from IdeaTek to erect an antenna on top of the city water tower.Tuesday’s meeting of the Buhler City Council beings at 7 p.m.

Buhler City Council to hear about possible budget cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.

The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.

The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.

The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.

Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.

The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.

“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.

However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.

Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.

Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.

Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”

The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.

Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.

The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.

Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.

Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.

On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.

But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.

Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”

Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.

On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.

“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.

Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.

<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.

The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.

Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025544339.png" alt="Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025386191.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588069680758.png" alt="President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.___

White House releases new coronavirus testing guidelines

NEWTON,
Kan. — 
The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed its sixth presumptive-positive case of coronavirus, or COVID-19 as of Monday.

The confirmed case is a man in his 40s. He was in contact with another individual with COVID-19 in another county.

The man is in home isolation. The Health Department will regularly monitor the individual, as well as follow up on all contacts.

As of Monday, the KDHE had confirmed 3,328 cases of COVID-19 in Kansas. Of Harvey County’s six confirmed cases, three individuals have recovered. Harvey County reported its first confirmed case March 26.

The KDHE has also classified two Harvey County cases as probable for COVID-19, including one death. The cases are probable because they met clinical criteria for symptoms with a presumptive-positive lab test for blood work, but were negative in testing for an active COVID-19 virus. The KDHE has not included probable cases in its confirmed statistics at this time.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly previously issued an extension to a Stay Home executive order through May 3 in response to COVID-19. Kansans must stay home except to go to work to perform an essential function; obtain food, medicine or household necessities; medical care; caring for children, family members or pets; or exercise that abides by social distancing and gathering guidelines.

The KDHE has a phone hotline available to answer questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 at 1-866-534-3463. Resources are also available at coronavirus.kdheks.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588032074187.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEWTON,
Kan. — 
The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed its sixth presumptive-positive case of coronavirus, or COVID-19 as of Monday.The confirmed case is a man in his 40s. He was in contact with another individual with COVID-19 in another county.The man is in home isolation. The Health Department will regularly monitor the individual, as well as follow up on all contacts.As of Monday, the KDHE had confirmed 3,328 cases of COVID-19 in Kansas. Of Harvey County’s six confirmed cases, three individuals have recovered. Harvey County reported its first confirmed case March 26.The KDHE has also classified two Harvey County cases as probable for COVID-19, including one death. The cases are probable because they met clinical criteria for symptoms with a presumptive-positive lab test for blood work, but were negative in testing for an active COVID-19 virus. The KDHE has not included probable cases in its confirmed statistics at this time.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly previously issued an extension to a Stay Home executive order through May 3 in response to COVID-19. Kansans must stay home except to go to work to perform an essential function; obtain food, medicine or household necessities; medical care; caring for children, family members or pets; or exercise that abides by social distancing and gathering guidelines.The KDHE has a phone hotline available to answer questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 at 1-866-534-3463. Resources are also available at coronavirus.kdheks.gov.

Harvey County case count at six, with three recoveries

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held their press conference Monday afternoon.

The governor reported the state has launched a new<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/"> coronavirus website</a>&nbsp;to assist Kansans with additional information beyond medical information. It is a centralized place for resources Kansans need as the state responds to and recovers from the damage done as a result of the pandemic.

 The site is ADA compliant, mobile optimized and available in Spanish.&nbsp; The site will also provide information on state resources to help Kansans from job openings and more.

Dr. Norman reported that a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate diagnosed with the virus died over the weekend. The man was over the age of 50 with a number of underlying health conditions, according to Norman.

He also shared that&nbsp; Kansas Poison control has seen approximately a 40 percent increase in cleaning chemical cases "including a man who drank a product over the weekend based on advice he'd received." 

"We're doing what we can to&nbsp; counter-message that kind of remedy," said Norman.

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held their press conference Monday afternoon.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F912623055864233%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The governor reported the state has launched a new<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/"> coronavirus website</a>&nbsp;to assist Kansans with additional information beyond medical information. It is a centralized place for resources Kansans need as the state responds to and recovers from the damage done as a result of the pandemic. The site is ADA compliant, mobile optimized and available in Spanish.&nbsp; The site will also provide information on state resources to help Kansans from job openings and more.Dr. Norman reported that a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate diagnosed with the virus died over the weekend. The man was over the age of 50 with a number of underlying health conditions, according to Norman.He also shared that&nbsp; Kansas Poison control has seen approximately a 40 percent increase in cleaning chemical cases "including a man who drank a product over the weekend based on advice he'd received." "We're doing what we can to&nbsp; counter-message that kind of remedy," said Norman.

🎥  Gov., KDHE Secretary update battle against virus

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With all that’s going on, visiting the Hutchinson Zoo in person is not an option at this time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the many features the zoo has to offer. You just have to take a different approach. In May the zoo will be offering a special virtual youth camp.

The zoo will host its Watery World Virtual Zoo Camp May 18 to 22. Participants will learn all about wetlands and the animals that call them home. Each child will receive a packet that includes instructions and all needed supplies, as well as an exclusive T-shirt and a special surprise at the end of camp. 

To register, or learn more, visit <a href="http://hutchinsonzoo.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=41">hutchinsonzoo.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588017780720.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With all that’s going on, visiting the Hutchinson Zoo in person is not an option at this time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the many features the zoo has to offer. You just have to take a different approach. In May the zoo will be offering a special virtual youth camp.The zoo will host its Watery World Virtual Zoo Camp May 18 to 22. Participants will learn all about wetlands and the animals that call them home. Each child will receive a packet that includes instructions and all needed supplies, as well as an exclusive T-shirt and a special surprise at the end of camp. To register, or learn more, visit <a href="http://hutchinsonzoo.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=41">hutchinsonzoo.org</a>.

Hutchinson Zoo to offer virtual camp 

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-hasnt-stopped-cancer-surgeries-kansas-its-boosted-telemedicine">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — Doctors diagnosed Courtney 
Buchmann’s breast cancer on March 6, three days before the first 
confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kansas.

Buchmann worried, as 
hospitals braced for an overflow of coronavirus patients, whether the 
potentially life-saving surgery she suddenly needed would be deemed 
elective.

Instead, a quick shift to online consultations with her doctors, the surgery went ahead without much change.

Yet the stress that comes with cancer remained. And a tough decision got rushed.

Right after her diagnosis, Buchmann quickly scheduled two appointments with doctors at the <a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/about-us" target="_blank">University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>.

Her
 brother, a physician, went with her to her first appointment with her 
surgeon. She was hoping to bring her sister-in-law, an oncologist, to 
the next one a few days later. By that point, the doctor’s office wasn’t
 allowing any visitors to come to appointments.

“So as I had my appointments, COVID was really changing the landscape,” Buchmann said.

Those changes also altered a tough decision.

Rather
 than wait for the results of a genetic test that would help her decide 
on getting a double mastectomy, she went ahead and scheduled surgery to 
just remove the cancerous tissue.

“We wanted to go ahead and 
operate on the cancer I currently had while KU still had masks,” she 
said. “While they were still seeing cancer surgery as essential.”

About that same time, the<a href="https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/triage" target="_blank"> American College of Surgeons began issuing guidance</a>
 to hospitals on how to best prepare for the surge of COVID-19 patients.
 And which surgeries were truly needed. The group offered guidance to 
help prepare U.S. hospitals for the same problems other countries faced.

“Many
 hospitals were literally overwhelmed with admissions,” said David Hoyt,
 executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “So, just to 
free up beds to be able to care for these patients, to preserve 
protective equipment, gowns, gloves, masks. All the things that you 
need.”

And it seemed to work. While many people had to delay knee or hip replacements, Kansas <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients">hospitals</a> <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients" target="_blank">have so far handled the influx of COVID-19 patients</a> without too many issues.

Some
 models project Kansas will soon reach its peak, and that it has 
capacity to spare. Meanwhile, cancer treatment has gone forward almost 
the same as it had before.

The one major difference is that most appointments before and after surgery now happen online.

“Today, I have eight patients who showed up on my schedule,” Dr. Shaker Dakhil, president of the <a href="https://cancercenterofkansas.com/" target="_blank">Cancer Center of Kansas</a> said. “And beside their appointment, it says virtual visit.”

He
 said the visits look very much like an in-person visit would. He has 
his computer in front of him. He asks them questions about their disease
 and listens to any of their concerns.

“We kept everything exactly the same,” he said, “and this has been working beautifully.”

Dakhil hopes that some of the changes made to deal with the coronavirus stick around after the pandemic.

And while it could be intimidating, health officials are encouraging people to not wait to get treated and try the new system.

“If
 there’s something that you think is important enough that you would 
call the doctor’s office, then consider a telemedicine appointment.” 
Lori Ranallo, nurse practitioner at the University of Kansas Health 
System Cancer Center and state ambassador for the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a> said.

Buchmann,
 the breast cancer patient, said she would have thought you were crazy 
if you’d told her back in February she’d be having doctor’s appointments
 over Zoom, but she’s now had three of those video calls.

“It hasn’t sent me into an extraordinary panic,” Buchmann said. “I would say I’m at baseline you-have-cancer panic.”

Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587993705414.png" alt=" Central Care Cancer Center in Wichita, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Central Care Cancer Center in Wichita, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-hasnt-stopped-cancer-surgeries-kansas-its-boosted-telemedicine">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — Doctors diagnosed Courtney 
Buchmann’s breast cancer on March 6, three days before the first 
confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kansas.Buchmann worried, as 
hospitals braced for an overflow of coronavirus patients, whether the 
potentially life-saving surgery she suddenly needed would be deemed 
elective.Instead, a quick shift to online consultations with her doctors, the surgery went ahead without much change.Yet the stress that comes with cancer remained. And a tough decision got rushed.Right after her diagnosis, Buchmann quickly scheduled two appointments with doctors at the <a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/about-us" target="_blank">University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>.Her
 brother, a physician, went with her to her first appointment with her 
surgeon. She was hoping to bring her sister-in-law, an oncologist, to 
the next one a few days later. By that point, the doctor’s office wasn’t
 allowing any visitors to come to appointments.“So as I had my appointments, COVID was really changing the landscape,” Buchmann said.Those changes also altered a tough decision.Rather
 than wait for the results of a genetic test that would help her decide 
on getting a double mastectomy, she went ahead and scheduled surgery to 
just remove the cancerous tissue.“We wanted to go ahead and 
operate on the cancer I currently had while KU still had masks,” she 
said. “While they were still seeing cancer surgery as essential.”About that same time, the<a href="https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/triage" target="_blank"> American College of Surgeons began issuing guidance</a>
 to hospitals on how to best prepare for the surge of COVID-19 patients.
 And which surgeries were truly needed. The group offered guidance to 
help prepare U.S. hospitals for the same problems other countries faced.“Many
 hospitals were literally overwhelmed with admissions,” said David Hoyt,
 executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “So, just to 
free up beds to be able to care for these patients, to preserve 
protective equipment, gowns, gloves, masks. All the things that you 
need.”And it seemed to work. While many people had to delay knee or hip replacements, Kansas <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients">hospitals</a> <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients" target="_blank">have so far handled the influx of COVID-19 patients</a> without too many issues.Some
 models project Kansas will soon reach its peak, and that it has 
capacity to spare. Meanwhile, cancer treatment has gone forward almost 
the same as it had before.The one major difference is that most appointments before and after surgery now happen online.“Today, I have eight patients who showed up on my schedule,” Dr. Shaker Dakhil, president of the <a href="https://cancercenterofkansas.com/" target="_blank">Cancer Center of Kansas</a> said. “And beside their appointment, it says virtual visit.”He
 said the visits look very much like an in-person visit would. He has 
his computer in front of him. He asks them questions about their disease
 and listens to any of their concerns.“We kept everything exactly the same,” he said, “and this has been working beautifully.”Dakhil hopes that some of the changes made to deal with the coronavirus stick around after the pandemic.And while it could be intimidating, health officials are encouraging people to not wait to get treated and try the new system.“If
 there’s something that you think is important enough that you would 
call the doctor’s office, then consider a telemedicine appointment.” 
Lori Ranallo, nurse practitioner at the University of Kansas Health 
System Cancer Center and state ambassador for the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a> said.Buchmann,
 the breast cancer patient, said she would have thought you were crazy 
if you’d told her back in February she’d be having doctor’s appointments
 over Zoom, but she’s now had three of those video calls.“It hasn’t sent me into an extraordinary panic,” Buchmann said. “I would say I’m at baseline you-have-cancer panic.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Virus hasn't stopped Kan. cancer surgeries, but it's boosted telemedicine 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.

Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.

On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.

“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”

Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.

“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."

COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.

The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.

The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.

Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”

A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.

Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.

The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.

Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.

The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.

Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.

Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.

“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.

The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587239834149.png" alt=" Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

Virus is expected to reduce meat selection, raise prices

As of 12:00 p.m., Reno County now has registered twenty-seven positive cases of COVID-19. The newest positive case is a female, in her 20’s with a known source of exposure from a prior positive case in Reno County. She currently is in home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway. Eight previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have since completed recovery and are nonsymptomatic per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The Reno County Health Department also has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). The Health Department seeks to mobilize residents to selfreport their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in quantifying and tracking case contact and spread within the county. This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587918863780.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As of 12:00 p.m., Reno County now has registered twenty-seven positive cases of COVID-19. The newest positive case is a female, in her 20’s with a known source of exposure from a prior positive case in Reno County. She currently is in home isolation per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.We cannot currently release any further information as case contact investigation is underway. Eight previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have since completed recovery and are nonsymptomatic per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.The Reno County Health Department also has a self-reporting form hosted on its COVID-19 Information Center (https://www.renogov.org/741/COVID-19). The Health Department seeks to mobilize residents to selfreport their symptomology through the self-report form to better assist in quantifying and tracking case contact and spread within the county. This form is designed to both capture responses from those who have already been experiencing symptoms prior to today as well as those residents who begin to showcase symptoms in the coming weeks and months.We continue to highly encourage Reno County residents to be dependent on health authorities to provide the most accurate information on COVID-19.Please practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, limit handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

Coronavirus Update